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Lan Zhan enters the Jingshi and smiles. This is a sight that he probably won't ever get used to, and yet it is so dear to his heart.
Wei Ying sprawls all over the small writing table, painting another portrait of their family, including one of the very first gifts he had given to Lan Zhan: Wu and Ji, the black and white bunnies. They have long ago passed and yet somehow, one black bunny and a white one always reside in the meadow with the other rabbits, different to them and yet somehow part of the community, and nobody knows where they come from. Wei Ying is concentrating so hard that he hasn't noticed his husband's arrival yet. Lan Zhan watches him quietly, not wishing to disturb him.
A quiet Wei Ying usually spells trouble; he very much embodies the old saying about toddlers, that everything was great as long as they were making some kind of noise, but if you couldn't hear them, then you better watch out! Wei Ying is the same because he's rarely quiet.This Wei Ying is still, in an uncommon way, his chaos contained because he's channelling it towards a particular objective. His brushstrokes are even and confident, each application sure to replicate the picture in his mind. Lan Zhan had found a rare set of coloured paints in a market away over in the next town and immediately thought of his husband's gifted hands. His brow furrows as Wei Ying applies the last finishing touches to his masterpiece, his little pink tongue resting at the corner of his raspberry red mouth. He must have dug his fingers into his hair because his ponytail is lopsided, silky strands escaping from the confines of his crimson silk ribbon. A work of art himself.
He is beautiful.
Now, Lan Zhan despises that word.
Beautiful has limitations where, in his mind, Wei Ying has none. Such a small word, and so inadequate in describing this warm jewel of a man. Beautiful doesn't show the stars in his silver eyes, nor the dusting of freckles across his nose. Nor does it reflect the glow that surrounds his animated face or portray his golden skin or the perfection of his glance. And it is utterly useless in conveying how wonderful Wei Ying is, how magnetic, charming, charismatic, and oh, how loveable he is.
Suddenly, Wei Ying looks up, and Lan Zhan has the privilege of watching his cheeks go pink, the smile on his face blooming and multiplying how gorgeous he is by a thousand times over.
“Lan Zhaaaan! Come and help your poor husband,” he wails, making grabby hands towards him.
Unbidden, a laugh leaves his mouth as Lan Zhan comes towards him. It is impossible not to be happy around him. His heart surges with overflowing joy when Lan Zhan bends to kiss him, having missed his presence for most of the day. Willing and pliant, Wei Ying melts against his chest, kissing him back with the enthusiasm of a bear finding honey. Nothing can beat this feeling of having his world safe here, within the circle of his arms. Lan Zhan deepens the kiss and raises his hand to remove his headband when Wei Ying (who had been quite ecstatically kissing him back) stops him.
“No, no, no! You can't distract me with your Love Juju! This is important!” He exclaims, contradictorily pulling Lan Zhan down to sit and then climbing into his lap.
Lan Zhan gives him a pointed look because, look where he's sitting! If he doesn't want consequences leading up to everyday activities, then this is possibly the worst way to avoid that.
Wei Ying giggles because he understands that, and yet, Lan Zhan can see that he's the same; he can't not be happy whenever Lan Zhan is around him. It's a feeling that bubbles up inside them without a conscious effort, brimming full of joy and delight and exhilaration. When they are together, they are home.
“If you come up with an idea to help me, I will let you do whatever you want to me,” Wei Ying informs him, as if that's any better.
“Talk,” Lan Zhan tells him, distracting himself by taking the red ribbon out of Wei Ying’s hair and holding it in his teeth because it fits his agenda of getting Wei Ying into bed by the fastest means possible. However, he's not prepared for Wei Ying to slap his own hand over his eyes and refuse to look at him. (Their precious, meaningful ribbons in each other's mouths are a hair trigger and prelude, apparently, for Papapa, something they discovered right away, early on since getting together.)
“Nice try!” Wei Ying tells him breathlessly, biting his bottom lip, fully aware of the other's plan.
Lan Zhan calmly gathers the wily, curly and rebellious locks into a neat thick bunch and efficiently winds the ribbon around the girth firmly, many times, before tying a knot and a bow. He waits for Wei Ying to gather his thoughts.
In the meantime, it's lovely to appreciate the warmth of Wei Ying, the weight of his body in his lap, and just feeling happy about it.
“You know what day is coming up, right?” Wei Ying rests his arms so that they're dangling over Lan Zhan’s shoulders and looks into his eyes.
“A-Yuan's birthday.”
“Exactly.”
Lan Zhan glances over to the adjacent table where many pieces of artwork are drying. Given that Wei Ying has made him a promise of things to come, he must rise to the challenge. Clearly whatever Wei Ying is worrying about has to do with their son and his impending special day.
“Are you worried that he won't like them?” Lan Zhan gestures towards the efforts of Wei Ying’s labour.
“No…he's too polite to outwardly reject them. You raised him to be such a stalwart, genuine person. I'm sure he'll like them, especially the ones of Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Uncle Four and Popo. But I feel like they're not special enough, the gift of pictures, I mean.”
“Why? You are giving him his family back, and that's no small thing.” Lan Zhan pulls Wei Ying into a hug, stroking his back.
“Well, I've been racking my brain for weeks now, trying to find a suitable gift. But then I realised that he's got plenty of money and even if he didn't, you do. He can buy anything he wants and so that's not good enough to just buy him something generic from a market stall.” Wei Ying sighs deeply, betraying his inner turmoil.
“You could ask him what he wants.”
“He'll probably say something sappy like, we're all he ever wanted.”
Lan Zhan can feel his husband pouting. “Is it sappy if he genuinely means it?”
“NO!” Wei Ying protests loudly. “That's what I mean! He's such a good kid and I wanna give him something unique, something he'll treasure and remember forever. I've missed so many birthdays, and I–I just want him to know how much I love him.” His voice cracks on the last few words.
“Wei Ying, our son is aware of his place in our hearts.” Lan Zhan pulls back to take Wei Ying’s precious face in his hands. “A-Yuan would likely accept anything you gave him, cost aside. But he is inherently an innocent, simple person inside. He is sharp enough to recognise any gesture for what it is. You taught him to appreciate all the small things that make his life richer. So I believe you should ask him what he wants for his birthday and I also think his answer will surprise you.”
“Really?” Wei Ying asks in a small uncertain voice.
“Yes.”
“Okay then. I will ask him tomorrow. The day before his birthday. Ugh! I hate waiting!”
“I can invite him over for dinner tomorrow night. Now, I believe I have solved your problem.” Lan Zhan removes the usually stoic mask from his expression that hides his inner thoughts spectacularly with others. Tonight, right now, he wants Wei Ying to see what is on his mind. So he fills his head with all sorts of fantasies, tying Wei Ying to their bed and ravishing him, tying his feet to both corners of their bed and ravishing him. Turning him on his stomach and ravishing him. Then, just ravishing him in general. All four scenarios make his mouth water.
Wei Ying has been watching him all this time, and he switches up his sincerity to teasing mode. He taps the side of his nose most endearingly. “Hold on a moment! I disagree, oh husband of mine.”
“Why?” Lan Zhan stands up in one fluid motion because Wei Ying has inadvertently exposed one round golden-skinned shoulder, exceptionally smooth and biteable. His action is effortlessly graceful as he strides towards their bed, ignoring Wei Ying’s yelp of surprise. It makes a nice change of being able to catch him off guard when usually it's the other way around. Lan Zhan tosses him onto their bed.
“Okay, okay, let's see! Am I still worried? Yes. Do I know what I'm getting him for his birthday? No! Therefore, have you solved my problem? NO!” Wei Ying gasps because with one swipe of his large hand, Lan Zhan has opened all of his robes. His chest heaves, suddenly excited as his stomach plummets to his feet.
“The problem exists outside of a suitable window of time. SiZhui is asleep right now, rendering your point moot.” Lan Zhan shrugs out of his robes, liking the way Wei Ying swallows hard, his eyes so much darker with desire.
“Then I think we should wait,” Wei Ying replies mischievously. He grins as Lan Zhan pauses in his untying of Wei Ying’s drawstring holding his trousers up.
“Wait?” Lan Zhan asks him, drawing the moment out. A new plan forms in his mind.
“Yes. You have only solved the problem by half. So no ‘everyday’ tonight.”
“But in line with that thought process, if I have solved it by half, then I am allowed something in return,” Lan Zhan replies immediately. “I did not believe Wei Ying to renege on the deal.”
“Alright, alright, clever clogs! You may have one kiss.” Wei Ying looks smug.
“One kiss? Since when has Wei Ying become so stingy?” Lan Zhan smirks. Guaranteed, he's going to have Wei Ying begging him for more in a few short moments.
“Stingy?” Wei Ying smirks back. “Just for that, I'm sticking to my offer. One kiss, and one kiss only.”
“Very well, I accept,” Lan Zhan pulls off his headband slowly, deliberately, placing it next to them on the little cabinet beside their bed, prolonging the inevitable.
“Really?” Wei Ying narrows his eyes suspiciously. “Why do I find that so hard to believe?”
Lan Zhan lowers himself carefully, relishing the small hidden gasp of desire that Wei Ying tries and fails to mask. “Lans never lie.”
“Exactly, so–”
“So, it only counts as a single kiss if my mouth never leaves your body,” and with that, and gleaming, impatient golden eyes, Lan Zhan pounces.
***************
Lan Qiren stares mournfully at the cup of sleeping tea he consumed half an hour ago, lying on his bed and watching it resting on his writing desk. Does he want his nephew to be happy? Yes. Would he prefer it if they lived elsewhere? Emphatically YES! How is it possible whatever they're doing can penetrate the earplugs that came so highly recommended?? And whatever happened to those damn Silencing Spell talismans??
*******************
Lan SiZhui follows behind his father, carrying another tray of food that they both made and readies himself for the overflowing love his other dad is going to pour over him. He likes it, the way his Baba makes him feel cherished, an abundance of how much he loves with all of his heart makes SiZhui warm and melty with feeling. He's always liked how Hanguang-Jun’s love felt like a strong river, flowing straight and true, winding through every obstacle, while his mother's love (it's how he thinks of Wei-Qianbei) is more like an unstoppable waterfall, crashing over rocks and boulders with an unmatched force. It's as if SiZhui will be loved, even against his will. The thought makes him smile.
“A-Yuan! My baby!”
As soon as SiZhui puts the tray down, he is immediately caught by strong arms, so much leaner than his father, and equally full of that careful, deep love.
“Baba. How was your day?” SiZhui hugs him back, loving how this smaller person fits against him.
Mo XuanYu's body is a little shorter than himself, and it's nice to feel taller for once. He and JingYi have a secret bet going that he's going to be as tall as Hanguang-Jun one day, when his growth spurts finish. But although Wei WuXian is living inside a smaller body than his original one, his personality makes up the difference by being so much more. It's not just the way he's embraced this second chance to live, but he shows it with loving hands and a gentle touch, grateful in a way that someone who had no expectations for the continuation of his life could be.
Wei Ying answers him vaguely, unwilling to admit how much he's worried about what to give him tomorrow. This is A-Yuan's first birthday that they're all together and he wants to commemorate it with something special and meaningful.
They eat in silence and Wei Ying senses both Lan Zhan and A-Yuan giving him concerned looks now and then, because he's jittery with nerves, and only his husband's warm large palm fitting over his knee under the table, calms him. That makes him think about his husband and last night. He had no idea how devious Lan Zhan could be, and how Lan Zhan, true to his word, hadn't let his mouth leave Wei Ying’s body, not once. By the time Lan Zhan finished with Wei Ying, he was a mess of wet eyes, flushed skin and a hoarse throat from screaming so much in pleasure. Wei Ying looks up and sees the tiniest smile on Lan Zhan’s face as he goes back to eating. He smiles too, aware of how lucky he is, in all ways.
Once they finish eating and the dinner things left outside for collection, Wei Ying turns to SiZhui.
“I am a terrible parent,” Wei Ying tells him, taking both of his hands in his.
There are noises of protest from both SiZhui and Lan Zhan.
“No, no, I really am. You see, I knew you when you were this high,” Wei Ying holds his palm flat at his shoulder horizontally, “and now you're so tall, practically an adult. And tomorrow is our first time together, all three of us for your birthday, and I'm not prepared! I haven't got you anything because I'm second-guessing myself with trying to pick something good enough for you.” And then to his mounting embarrassment, Wei Ying bursts into tears.
Just as quickly, he is pulled into a strong embrace, and it's not Lan Zhan but SiZhui who is hugging him tightly.
“Baba, I have everything I need. A-Die and you…” SiZhui trails off because his words are only making Wei Ying cry harder. He thinks quickly. “But! But Baba, there is this one thing that I've always wanted.”
Wei Ying immediately goes quiet, those silver red-rimmed eyes glistening like dew on silver sage. SiZhui can tell he's listening intently, and that doesn't help the sudden panic in his heart! What on earth is he going to ask for??
“Bunnies!” He blurts out blindly, reaching for a lifeline.
“Bunnies?” Wei Ying repeats with no small amount of confusion.
“Yep, bunnies!”
“What about them?”
Think, think, Yuan! What to say?? He lifts his eyes towards his A-Die, who smiles serenely as if he knows exactly what kind of a mess SiZhui has gotten himself into. ‘You're on your own’ his golden eyes seem to say, as he demurely sips from his teacup.
“I've always wanted to know what they're thinking.” SiZhui finally replies. It's the truth and Wei Ying believes him. Only his A-Die gazes at him fiercely, one question away from asking him outright. So he adds to it, discovering that the more he talks about it, the more the idea grows on him. “Nothing that would harm them, and it doesn't even have to last, maybe just a couple of hours. But if everyone could see how truly adorable they are, perhaps it would make people aware that extending kindness towards creatures so much smaller than themselves is the first step to leading a life full of love.”
“Um, alright,” Wei Ying says, reaching for the talisman paper that his husband is already passing him, alongside the ink sticks and inkstone, ready to grind it for him. “Surprisingly doable, even if it sounds like it should be harder.”
Meanwhile, SiZhui can see how Hanguang-Jun’s face is transformed, as if he's saying, “well done”.
Lan Zhan pulls out some mango sticky rice that he had prepared earlier, and he and SiZhui eat slowly, watching Wei Ying work around mouthfuls of the treat that his husband feeds him in gaps. True to his word, Wei Ying lets out a triumphant whoop as soon as he finishes, half an hour later.
SiZhui is just bending down to hug him to say good night, when the yellow talisman paper is pressed into his hands.
“Happy birthday, A-Yuan!” Wei Ying hugs him hard. He kisses the top of his head, and decides not to mention his wet eyes as SiZhui leaves them. “What a wonderful boy he is, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says wistfully, gazing after the empty space by the door. “You raised him well,” he adds, turning his attention to his husband. “Lan Zhan, what are you doing?”
“I am collecting on the second part of your promise.” Lan Zhan finishes taking off his robes, standing up and then walking towards him.
Wei Ying quickly scrambles back, his smile vanishing as he panics. “Aiyo! Lan Zhan, didn't we finish that business last nig–”
“No.” Lan Zhan replies surely, pulling him up from the ground and depositing Wei Ying on their bed. “Tonight,” he promises, stripping Wei Ying of all his clothes so fast, Wei Ying wonders if this too, is part of his fantasies. “I am going to take my time with you,” Lan Zhan vows.
He swallows every one of Wei Ying’s cries thereafter, with his own mouth, as his clever fingers get to work…
****************
Lan Qiren cries himself into an exhausted sleep…wishing he was deaf.
****************
The next morning, A-Yuan wakes up extra early, unable to stay in bed because he's too excited! He finishes everything he usually does, knowing the importance of routine and structure, before leaving the dormitory.
“Happy birthday!” JingYi does not whisper, catching him outside. He hands him a parcel wrapped in bamboo leaves.
“Thank you,” SiZhui smiles softly, accepting it. He tucks it into his sleeve and continues on his way, grinning at the ensuing disappointment on his best friend's face.
“Where are we going?” JingYi asks, falling into step beside him.
“The bunny meadow.”
“Makes sense. Today is your special day, so you'd want to see them before the day starts,” JingYi nods to himself.
“Baba gave me a gift last night,” SiZhui explains, bringing the talisman out. He shows it to JingYi, who grins back.
“Not gonna lie, this early in the morning, that just looks like a plate of noodles. You can show me what it does when we get there.” JingYi yawns.
SiZhui laughs quietly, too happy and grateful for the unexpected company. JingYi has thoughtfully brought a lantern on a stick with him, and all around them, the crunchy frost glitters like crushed diamond powder on the edges of the cleared stone path. Their breath steams in little clouds in front of them as they walk fast, wanting to maximise the time they can spend with the fluffy white rabbits. They pass the kitchens and find the covered basket of fresh vegetables and coriander leaves waiting for them, and they take it with them onwards.
The moon casts a silvery glow on the grasses of the meadow, long ago enchanted by his clever and imaginative Baba, casting an array around the field to maintain the temperature so that the bunnies wouldn't freeze out here. SiZhui sees white fluffy bunnies hopping towards him as they get closer, and then he plonks himself down among the tiny pink flowers and emerald grasses, all painted with a bluish grey light. JingYi sets the light down and sits down next to him.
SiZhui tosses the talisman that Wei Ying gave him last night into the air, activating it with a spark of his indomitable spiritual energy. He holds his breath in anticipation, shivering with excitement.
For a moment, nothing happens.
Then he feels happiness, and it takes him a moment to realise it's not his own. The bunnies are drawn towards him as always, and as they get nearer, he begins to feel other feelings, a mix of different ones with an underlying sense of joy.
“What has he brought for us today?”
“It smells tasty!”
“He's always kind and sweet!”
“I'm going to sit on his lap! Dibs!”
SiZhui sees a white bunny hop right up to his knees and in one little hop, land in his lap, quickly snuggling down for a snooze. His long fingers begin stroking its back, giving it little scritches between its adorable ears, and it's so soft and warm and trusting that SiZhui wants to cry. Another bunny noses around him and twitches its nose curiously until SiZhui picks it up and puts it next to the other one in his lap. He's got two hands and what use are they if he can't pet two of his furry friends at the same time? He looks over to JingYi, whilst sinking into pleasant thoughts about how delightful these tiny little animals are. However, JingYi isn't looking so calm and composed; his brows are furrowed and he's biting his bottom lip thoughtfully with a touch of disbelief.
“What's wrong?” SiZhui whispers.
“Tangled thoughts,” JingYi whispers back.
“Like?”
“Some of them like me, but some of them are scared, and I feel bad about that. I'll try to be nicer.”
SiZhui grins, inordinately pleased with himself. His plan has worked out well…
***************
Lan Qiren goes outside and nearly screams. He's finally found the little criminal, the one little rabbit that has for the last twenty years consistently invaded his garden just to poop all over the place and sabotage his gardening attempts. Well, not today! He lunges and trips up over his own robes, refusing to believe that this bunny is a different one, not when it has the same modus operandi. But Lan Qiren gets a mouthful of dirty snow and rabbit poop instead, and he feels terribly ill because of it. Also, there's a strong feeling of dislike hanging around the empty space where the little spotted bunny was, only a second ago.
He's tired after another disturbed night and is seriously thinking about relocating his home to the other side of the Cloud Recesses just for some tiny bit of peace. He stomps back inside uneasy, because why is there such a disgruntled feeling in his garden? It's almost as if whatever it is harbouring those kinds of animosity laden thoughts towards him, is doing it out of retaliation. In fact, he thinks it's connected to when he told XiChen off for letting WangJi keep his beloved rabbits where they were.
“Pets are not allowed in the Cloud Recesses,” he had shouted, and if he remembers correctly, something had nipped at his ankles back then.
XiChen had explained very calmly that the rabbits weren't pets and were living freely in the back hills, and absolutely not bothering anyone. All with a straight face while Lan Qiren hopped about not listening because he was too busy searching for the owner of the extra sharp tiny teeth.
He needs to lie down, he thinks. His exhausted mind is conjuring up weird emotions and signs, since it can't be possible for the little creatures to have such thoughts. Right? Right??
He will ask XiChen about moving, later on…
***************
Lan Zhan and Wei Ying visit the bunnies later, on the same day. Lan Zhan walks sedately, each one a measured step at a time while holding Wei Ying’s hand as his husband skips beside him. They're both in incredibly joyful spirits after exhausting themselves last night, both with bite marks on their necks (and other places hidden by their robes), and okay, Lan Zhan is more than a little smug about that.
“What do you think we'll find when we get there, My Love?” Wei Ying asks him, his smile uncontainable.
“Unclear. But today, we will find out what the bunnies think about Wei Ying,” he does not snicker. Lan Zhan would never do anything so casual.
“Hey, they love me by osmosis, okay? They love you, and we're married, so they have to love me anyway!” Wei Ying winks.
Lan Zhan is saved from replying because they've reached the meadow where the bunnies live. It looks normal and for a second, Lan Zhan wonders if anything has changed, if SiZhui actually used his gift today. But as they get closer, he experiences a Love Bomb.
There's no other way to describe it as he sits down and all the bunnies swarm around him, eager to be the first ones to be petted. Lan Zhan ensures his attention is given religiously to each one, privately calling them by their names, and bringing them up to his face so they can rub noses together. It is hands down, his favourite part of each day when he can love them so openly and freely.
“It's the one in white!”
“The big one!”
“The one with the warm hands!”
“Large hands! My butt has never felt so warm!”
And all of those feelings are drowned in love. I feel the same, Lan Zhan thinks, smiling at all of his tiny friends.
But then, when Wei Ying huffs and sits down beside him, he hears it as clear as a bell:
“Abort! Abort! Abort!”
“It's the mean one!”
“This one yanked my ears!”
The panic in the bunnies is real, and Lan Zhan has to work hard to calm them. “Wei Ying is sorry for hurting you so long ago. Look, he's so much better now, and he promises never to touch you like that again.” Lan Zhan says, taking Wei Ying’s hand and controlling how much strength he uses in stroking the little creatures. The poor little bunny accidentally poops.
Wei Ying cries out in indignation, and Lan Zhan wants to laugh. He will just have to wait until Wei Ying falls asleep and then he will pile all the bunnies on top of him.
THE END